Something Yet To Be Decided
by Kyamh
Summary: Harry has run away from the Durslyes at the age of nine...new friends...Snape...a different Harry...and Sirius Black!
1. The Golden Boy

Severus Snape walked absent mindedly through the streets of London. It was just like the brainless oaf Fudge to put an anti appiration charm on the area surrounding Diagon Alley. Grumbling slightly and glaring at passing Muggles, Severus made his way across the street to the Leaky Cauldron. He glanced around the pub upon entering. As always it was filled with idiotic witches and wizards wasting their time babbling to each other about the latest article in the Daily Prophet. Snape checked to see that his emotionless mask was in place, and stepped out of the shadows.  
  
"Severus, what a pleasant surprise." Lucius Malfoy's oily voice caused Snape to cringe with dislike.  
  
"Likewise, Lucius." He answered politely all the same. "What brings you here?"  
  
"Oh, my son, Draco, is to start Hogwarts this year, as you probably already know, and I came a few hours earlier than Narcissa and the boy, for I was in need of a trip to Knockturn Alley. Would you care to join me?" said Lucius.  
  
"Sorry Lucius. I'm on business for that fool Dumbledore. I am yet to find out what."  
  
"Very sorry to hear that. When the Dark Lord rises, we'll have that Muggle- loving fool begging us for mercy."  
  
Snape scowled as he watched Malfoy's retreating back. Gods he hated that man. But he was on a mission. As much as tried to talk the headmaster out of it, he was still being forced to fetch that Potter boy. No doubt he was being waited on hand a foot by those relatives of his, so there was no hurry. Albus never said that he wasn't allowed a side trip.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry Potter woke up early that morning, and stretched out on his small bed. Today was the first day of summer break for other kids, so he did not have to make excuses of why he was not in school for two wonderful months. Finally fully awake, the boy looked around his fair sized apartment, and wondered yet again, why he did not think to run away sooner.  
  
For the past two years he had been living on his own. And for a ten- year-old, that was saying something. His Aunt, Uncle, and cousin have been horrible to him for as long as he could remember, and at the age of eight and a half, he had run.  
  
Harry shook his head, not wanting to go into self pity mode, and walked over to the mirror. A small boy was looking back at him through emerald green eyes. Though he was short, Harry was build strong, and had muscles to prove it. His dark hair was casually falling in his eyes, with an elegance that he could never have though possible a year ago. When he let his untidy clump of hair grow out a bit, the difference was astounding, and was no longer making people wonder when the last time he brushed it was. His skin was tanned from the hours he spent outside, and a smile was playing around his lips.  
  
He crossed to the door and opened it; his apartment was a good size for one kid, and had everything he needed. Harry was dressed, eaten, and out the door with a while to spare, so he took the long way around.  
  
People in London were never much interest to him. They were constantly busy, never watching where they were going, and never though about what they were doing before they did it. But today, one man caught Harry's eye. He was dressed in a midnight black robe, and was moving swiftly and gracefully across the street. Harry overlooked his attire, people around dresses like that at times. As all the others did, he headed for a dark pub at the corner. And as always, Harry noticed that the eyes of passing people seemed to skip from the Animal Shelter (where he worked) to the book store next to the pub, as though not seeing it.  
  
"Hey Potter!" yelled a girl around Harry's age waving furiously at him.  
  
"Hey Niamh, what are you doing here?" he answered.  
  
"I live just a few blocks away remember? Where're you heading?"  
  
"To the Shelter: I work there remember?" he mimicked her voice.  
  
"Oh very funny. Do you want some help?" the girl inquired.  
  
"No, I think that I can handle it." said Harry.  
  
"Ooh but I want to help."  
  
Harry smiled inwardly at his eager best friend. Niamh Mirah was overly enthusiastic and dead clumsy as well. But Harry was more or less used to that by now, and chose to ignore the Mirah Moment as he called them.  
  
"Listen Ni, I have to go, but if you say around we can do something after, my shift is very short today."  
  
"Ok! Can I see the cats Harry? Please?"  
  
"Alright, but do try not to make a mess, I'm the one who'll have to clean it up." Harry gave in.  
  
"Well then what are you waiting for?" Niamh shouted as she dragged him inside.  
  
* * *  
  
Bloody Potter. Why does everyone have to worship the-boy-who-lived? He is perfectly capable of receiving the letter, go to Diagon Alley, then arrive at Hogwarts and make my life miserable like the rest of those dunderheads. Thought Snape as he walked up Privet Drive looking for house 4. But no, Dumbledore wants me to personally make sure that the Golden Boy is treated like a king.  
  
Severus waked up the steps and raised his hand to knock on the door. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a group of boys huddled around that Muggle box thing. Snape lowered his arm, preferring to look through the window instead of conversing with these.people.  
  
"Dudley, Harry, Priers, come to the kitchen please, I have your deserts in here." a woman's voice reached Severus's ears. Two blond boys and a black haired one stood up, and walked out of the room. Strange, Potter senior did not look like that at all, and I thought that the boy had his mother's eyes. Oh well, Potter is here, and treated perfectly. No need to take him to Diagon Alley myself. His relations should take care of that. They seem to like the boy enough to take him to London anyway. With that, he apperated away from the house, and made his way to Dumbledore's office.  
  
Back at the Dursley's household, a woman named Kelly Gartber came in to pick up her son, Harry.  
  
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Do you like it?? I don't know.this is my first Harry Potter attempt. Please review. I'll try to post again today, but if I get a review, I'll know that the story is worth writing. ~Mikibaby 


	2. Niamh, and the faults of Severus Snape

How to read:

"Talking"

__

Thoughts and Spells

"Aren't you done yet Harry?"

"Yup! Come on Ni, you chose what we do now."

"Ok.... How about the movies?"

"Whatever, I did say that you could choose," replied Harry. 

The two walked in silence for…seven seconds. That was just about how long Niamh could go without saying something. Harry tuned her out and thought about the Leaky Cauldron. Why was it that no one found it strange to have an old pub on a newly remodeled part of the city? Surely they would have rebuilt the place? 

"And when we…"

"Hey Ni," Harry interrupted "do you know that one pub next to the Shelter?"

"The Leaky something or other? Yeah, I've seen it a few times. Strange though, it's like no one else can. My parents always think that I'm hallucinating."

"Good, that means that I'm not insane." _And thank god for that._

"Why don't we go there instead of the movies?" asked Niamh.

"Sure, since your parents are out of town, there's no one stopping us from going inside."

* * *

"Severus, the reason I sent you to get Harry, was because I finally found the alarm, and it read that Harry Potter is indeed no longer on Privet Drive."

"The boy was there Albus. I saw him myself." retorted Snape.

"But are you sure you saw who thought you were seeing? Did they actually tell you that that's him?"

__

Damn that man, he already knows but just wants me to suffer. How does he get everything around him so warm? I bet if I let him wander into my ingredient storages, he would completely trash the ones requiring special temperatures. "Fine, I just looked in the window, and the woman called a boy named Harry to her so I assumed it was him."

Dumbledore sighed and the ever-present twinkle in his eye died down for a second. "Did you not remember that in the Muggle world, 'Harry' is a very common name? After all, just because the wizarding word fears to name their children 'Harry', doesn't mean that Muggles do as well."

Severus could have kicked himself for being so ignorant. "Very well Albus, how do you propose that we find him?"

"We? Well I was going to go by myself, but since you seem eager, you can accompany myself and perhaps Minerva as well in just a few minutes." It took Snape all the self-control he had to prevent from swearing himself half way to hell for giving the headmaster the idea that he wanted to come along. "As for how to find him, there is a spell. How else do you think that the Hogwarts letters arrive bearing the **exact** address of the student? Kindly go and fetch Minerva while I do so."

As the Potions master left in a whirl of robes, Albus summoned a piece of parchment over to him, and muttered _Locus Harry Potter_. The parchment glowed hazel for a moment, and as the two Professors came inside, an invisible hand wrote in green ink the following lines.

Harry Potter- walking along main rd.

Nearing the Leaky Cauldron

Downtown London

****

* * *

"Look Harry, there it is." said Niamh.

"Watch the people walking by it, it's true-they just skip right over," said Harry. "It doesn't look like something that you can just miss."

Just then, three people appeared with a small pop in an alley just to the right of Harry. Both the kids' reflexes kicked in, and they quickly hid themselves behind a couple of boxes. The three before them were dressed in the same robes that Harry notices from day to day. The woman looked strict and was wearing green robes. The man on her left was middle aged and wore completely black. Finally, the third was an aged man and his robes were a navy blue. Harry and Niamh watched in fascination and the adults pocketed three long wooden sticks and walked out of the alley.

Harry took the lead and walked behind the three, keeping at least six paces behind the group. Niamh's eyes widened when the woman did **not** skip over the pub, but led her companions inside. Harry looked at his friend, and motioned her to follow. Only a step away from the door, they heard a voice echo through the busy streets.

"Niamh! Where are you?"

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****

Destined Enchantress-I'm also a fan of these stories, and that's why I chose to write one. Starting with either this chapter, or the next one, they will get longer. I just want to post a few shorter ones to put the story out there, then I will try and make them about twice as long as chapters one and two. Then there's the fact that I'm not too good with beginnings. 

Congrats to Destined Enchantress on being the first to review. I will try and make a goal of posting at least once every two days, and, if I can, sooner. (that'll happen mostly on weekends, and school breaks)

Also, I really need an Idea for a title, so if you have any ideas, do tell. Maybe I should just keep "Something Yet To Be Decided".

~Mikibaby


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